Mayo Clinic - Flaxseed: A Good Thing in a Small Package

Q: What is flaxseed? What health benefits does it provide?

A: Several substances in flaxseed may provide health benefits:

• Lignans. Lignans are phytoestrogens, which may play a role in preventing cancers of the breast, endometrium and prostate. Lignans are found in most unrefined grains (barley, buckwheat, millet and oats), soybeans, and some vegetables (broccoli, carrots, cauliflower and spinach). But flaxseed is the richest source of lignans.
  
  
• Fiber. Flaxseed contains both soluble and insoluble fiber. Studies show that the soluble fiber in flaxseed — like fiber found in oat bran and fruit pectin — can help lower cholesterol and help regulate blood sugar levels. Insoluble fiber aids in digestion by increasing bulk, reducing the time that waste remains in the body and preventing constipation. These characteristics may help protect against colon cancer.
  
  
• Omega-3 fatty acids. Flaxseed contains alpha linolenic acid, which is both an essential fatty acid and an omega-3 fatty acid. Researchers are interested in omega-3 fatty acids for their role in infant development and immune and inflammatory disorders. Omega-3 fatty acids help lower your risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Some experts believe the typical Western diet has too little omega-3 fatty acids. Flaxseed, soybean and canola oils, walnuts and fatty fish (swordfish, salmon, mackerel and herring) all contain omega-3 fatty acids. You can also buy omega-3 enriched eggs produced by hens that are fed flaxseed.

Canadian dietary guidelines recommend 1.0 to 1.5 grams of omega-3 fat per day, which you can get in 1 teaspoon of flaxseed oil. Although the United States has no specific dietary guidelines for omega-3 fat, health experts recommend foods containing this fat as part of a healthy diet.

Incorporating flaxseed into your diet is simple and can add a tasty twist to routine foods and dishes. The small, reddish-brown whole seeds have a nutty taste. Sprinkle them over salads, soups, yogurt or cereals. Whole or ground flaxseed can replace some of the flour in bread, muffin, pancake and cookie recipes. Because of flaxseed’s high fat content, you can use it to replace part or all of the fat in baked goods recipes: Substitute 1 cup of flaxseed for 1/3 cup of fat. Adjust your oven temperature and the total baking time to allow for more rapid browning.

Because flaxseed oil is heat-sensitive, it’s best to incorporate it into cold foods or add it to hot foods after you’ve finished cooking them. For example, use flaxseed oil as an ingredient in salad dressing or drizzle a small amount of the oil onto soups or casseroles at the table. Store flaxseed and flaxseed oil in the refrigerator.

— March 29, 2002 —  Flax information from Mayo Clinic

www.ameriflax.com

North Dakota State University (NDSU) http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/plantsci/flaxseed.htm

www.vitamins-minerals-supplements-good-health.com/flax.htm

NDSU http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/flaxinst/